यूरो 2012

Euro-2012 Preview.The field has been set for the sixteen teams that make it to Euro-2012 to be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.The teams that made it include Spain,Germany,England,Italy,France,Greece,Croatia,Russia,Poland,Ukraine,Sweden,Denmark,Ireland,Czech Republic,Portugal and Holland.The draw looks like this.
In group A co-host nation Poland is going to be battling Russia,Czech Republic and Greece.In group B which is the group of death in this competition,favorite Germany is going to be battling Holland,Portugal and Denmark.In group C,Spain will begin the defend of its title with Italy,Ireland and Croatia.And the last be not the least group D will see the other co-host nation Ukraine battling it out with France,England and Sweden.
Group A team Greece had their best Euro performance in 2004 when they went in as a big underdog and won the competition taking the world be surprise.This time around they are not going to creep up on anybody.They would provide a tough fight in this group but I do not fancy them going through to the knockout stages.Too much economic problems at home also though that has nothing to do with their performance on the pitch.
Russia's last great run at the Euro came in 1988 when they made it all the way to the finals before losing to the Dutch.They where a great team to watch in Euro 2008 and made it past the Dutch in the quarterfinals before going down in the semi-finals.I like their chances to come out of this group.
The Czech Republic had to go to the playoffs(barrage)before booking its place in this years Euro.I like them to take the second slot for the knockout stages in this group.
Poland are in the competition due to their status as co-host.The last time that the Poles made their mark in international football was way back in 1982 when they made it to the semi finals to the world cup that was held in Spain.
From the group of death aka group B,Germany are always a force to reckon with.The three times European champions are one of the favorites to win it all.They last won the Euro in 1996,so I have a feeling that they are due for one pretty soon.In their very last outing they defeated Holland in Hamburg by three goals to nil and that is no small fit.
Holland has one Euro under their belt and they were runners-up in the past world cup held in South Africa.They went through qualification without dropping a point and I like them coming out of this group of death.
Denmark can be tricky, the only problem is that being in the group of death,nobody is going to be looking past them.The Danes won the Euro in 1992 after joining the competition as a substitute team.
Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo.The problem is that he alone can not do it all.The position that he plays in the field is forward and once the defenses clams down on him,there is a limit as to what he can accomplish by himself.This group of death I feel belongs to the Germans and the Dutch.
From group C,Spain are the defending world cup champions and also the defending Euro champions.They are thus provided with the opportunity to do what no nations has done in the history of soccer competition.That is being the holder of both cups and winning the Euro.Spain breeze through qualification for this competition without dropping a point and they are one of the favorites to lift the trophy.I look for them to qualify to the knockout stages from this group.
Italy last won a major competition in 2006 which was the world cup.So they are not that far away from a majors victory.Europe,s traditional defenders and king of the counter attack, the Italians are pulled in a strong group though I have a feeling that they would find a way to pull themselves through to the next round of the competition.
The Republic of Ireland got into the competition after winning a two leg barrage.They find themselves in a very tough group which I doubt whether they would be able to qualify from.
Croatia made it to the semi-finals of the world cup in 1998 and qualified for the knock out stages in last years Euro.
From group D, England is still looking for that second major trophy since the world cup in 1966.They had a disappointing world cup in South Africa in 2010 and they will be looking to make amends for that also.I look for them though to find a way to qualify out of this group into the knockout stages of the competition.
The French won the world cup in 1998 and followed it up with a Euro triumph in 2000 in Holland.Right now they are looking for somebody to replace Zinedane Zidane and Frank Ribery is not the answer.Despite their recent problems, I think that coach Laurent Blanc is going to look for a way to get them into knock out football.
Sweden is always a tough nut to crack in major competition.I am looking for them to provide major challenges to the France and the English.
Ukraine is the other co-host in the competition and a relatively new country.They have never won a major competition in their brief history and I do not think that they would start doing that just now.Being on home soil though, they would be a big pain for the rest of the members in this competition as they look to get out of the group stages.When it is all set and done I see a Spain versus West Germany finals with the Germans winning it all.